It's As Simple As That
by mandaree1
Summary: Buttercup has a secret she's been keeping from her family. An unlikely 'ally' helps her fight her fears and embrace the truth. (Warnings Inside)
1. It's As Simple As That

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Powerpuff Girls**

**Summary: Buttercup has a secret she's been keeping from her family. An unlikely ally helps her get over her fears and embrace the truth.**

**Title: It's As Simple As That**

**Warnings: Transgender Buttercup**

**Authors note: No, I don't think Buttercup being transgender has even the smallest foothold of cannon in it. =) I just really liked the idea, so here it is. It's gonna be three or four chapters long, I suspect.**

**...**

"Did you ever want something you couldn't have?"

Ace glanced up, cocking an eyebrow. Buttercup paid him no mind. Her arms were crossed behind her head as she stared at the sky above them. Ace stretched. "Duh. You don't see me livin' in a mansion, do you?" The puff snickered and shook her head. "Why you askin'?"

The relationship between the duo was... strange, at best. They fought, daily, on the battlefield, but they still managed to tolerate each others company on neutral ground, and even found themselves having some things in common. They'd been 'friends' for over three years now, and had yet to get sick of hanging out off hours. Suffice to say, however, few to none knew of their secret friendly rendezvous.

She shrugged. "No reason."

"This is about you, huh?' The girl froze for a moment in consideration before sullenly nodding. "Yeah, it sucks, but it's not like ya' have ta' wait forever, right?"

"Still feels like it." She sighed, shifting her arms from behind her head to instead clench them around her waist. "Two more years..."

"You've been waitin' two, ya can handle two more." He grunted, turning to stare up at the sky. "So... do they know yet?"

"No." She snapped. Her emerald eyes came to rest on her hands. "I mean, they know something's..._ off_... about me, but it's not like stuff like this ever really comes up in conversation. They have no idea." She chuckled sourly. "I think they think I'm a lesbian. They ain't that far off, when you think about it."

"I see..." He mused. Pushing his glasses back up the ridge of his nose, he spoke once again. "... You know, if I went to the boys and told 'em I was gay, they'd be weirded out."

"Good thing you're not." She returned. Ace shook his head.

"No, I ain't, but if I was, they'd be weirded out for awhile. They wouldn't _say_ nothin', but they would be._ But_, even if it did weird 'em out fer awhile, they'd still care for me and be there for me, and, eventually, they'd learn to accept it."

"Good friends..." She muttered. "It must be nice to have 'em..."

He shook his head. "No friends._ Family_." Rolling onto his knees, he prodded the teen in the chest. "Just like yers. And, if me and the boys can accept each other, then yer family can- and will- accept you."

Buttercup shook her head and sat up, swatting the hand away. "It's one thing to be gay. My family wouldn't _care_ if I liked girls over guys. But,_ this_..." She gestured to herself with a hand. "_This_ is different."

"I don't see how." He argued, nudging her shoulder. "I've known fer awhile now, and you don't see me runnin'."

"Dating preferences are one thing, Ace, gender changes are another." She sighed, sounding surprisingly subdued compared to her usual self. She stood up and shoved her hands into her pockets. "I... they'll... God, I just... I just _don't know_, okay!? Maybe they'll accept me; maybe they won't. I'm not willing to take that chance. See ya." Half-heartedly waving a hand, she quickly took off down the street and out of the junkyard.

Frowning, Ace sourly turned over, crossing his arms. "That went well." He sighed. "Well... it was worth a try, I guess. He'll be back... eventually. He always comes back. It's as simple as that."

**No flames! Don't like don't read! Review!**


	2. Not So Simple

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Powerpuff Girls.**

**Summary: Buttercup has a secret she's been keeping from her family. An unlikely 'ally' helps her fight her fears and embrace the truth**

**Title: It's As Simple As That**

**Chapter Name: Not That Simple**

**Warnings: Transgender Buttercup**

**Authors Note: No, I don't think Buttercup being transgender has even the smallest foothold of cannon in it. =) I just really liked the idea, so here it is. It's going to be three or four chapters long, I suspect.**

**...**

Everything would change, and she hated change.

_"Isn't she a little old to still be dressing like that?"_

_"Mom, why doesn't Buttercup act like a girl?"_

_"You'd think she'd at least have a few girly attributes, considering her sisters..."_

_She sunk further down into her jacket, directing her eyes towards the floor. She grit her teeth and ignored the urge to scream the truth at the top of her lungs. Bubbles patted her shoulder._

_"Don't worry Buttercup, they're all talk."_

_"Yeah, Buttercup." Blossom smiled. "They just don't get it."_

_'Neither do you', she wanted to say, 'neither do you.'_

She skidded around a corner, the rapid stop forcing her to crouch down and prop herself on one hand. Quickly pushing herself back up, she took off down the old alleyway, eyes squeezed shut.

_"You'll always be our sister." Blossom swore._

_"Yeah, sister..." She mumbled uneasily, crawling into her own corner of the bed. I__f only they knew._

'Sister.'

The word echoed through her racing mind. Shivers ran up her spine.

'Sister.'

_'Brother.'_

A drop of water plopped onto her nose, startling her from her daze. Glancing up, she took in the dark clouds swirling above the horizon as the rain fell down, quickly turning from a gentle patter to heavy sheets. Pulling her hat further down to block a bit of the rain, she took off down the alley. Wiping her face of the water dripping down into her eyes, she turned into the nearest building, pulled open the door, and ran inside.

Sliding into a stool in front of the grill, she quietly took in the familiar smell of cooking pancakes and the lack of people in the small restaurant. The place itself was small, a one room place with a few chairs and a bar-like seating area in front of a grill. She gave the chief a quick, distracted wave before turning around and looking outside at the pouring rain coming down outside.

It'd been awhile since she'd gotten caught up in a rain storm, she mused, settling her chin onto her hand, her elbow resting on the counter. A long, long time. The last time she'd gotten stuck...

_"Hey, dude, you okay?" Ace questioned, shoving his hands into his soaking wet pockets. Her head was buried in her arms, her hat pulled over her face and hair. Gaining no answer, he crouched down and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, dude, you awake?"_

_Lifting her head slightly out of her arms, her green eyes fixed in on the person beside her. Recognizing the eyes in an instant, he flinched and scrambled backwards. "Buttercup!?" Calming a bit when he realized she wasn't going to hurt him, he sat up. "Uh, hey Buttercup. Look, uh... sorry, I didn't realize it was you. With your hat pulled down like that, you kinda look like a... Sorry."_

_She buried her head in her arms as her shoulder began to shake. "Hey, hey, don't start cryin'! I don't wanna get my butt kicked!" He sighed, pulling himself up beside her. "Alright, what's the matter?"_

_She shook her head, shivering from the cold rain running down her neck. "N-Nothing. I'm just having a bad day, is all."_

_Behind his glasses, Ace rolled his eyes. "Rrrriiiight. Okay, tell me what's really going on."_

The clinking of a plate being set down on the table startled her out of her trance. "Here you go. On the house, just for you." The familiar voice made her freeze. She whipped around. Him turned back to his stove. "It should help you warm up."

"Him!" She burst to her feet, balling her hands into fists. "What're _you_ doing here!?"

"I own this place. What else would I be doing here?" He snorted, fiddling with the heat of the flame. "The better question would have to be what_ you_ are doing here this late at night. Shouldn't you be at home, with your sisters?"

"I... got caught up with something." She slumped down in her stool, pushing the plate away suspiciously. "No thanks."

"I see..." He pushed the plate back. "It's not poisoned. A young man such as yourself needs to eat to get big."

"I'm not a kid..." She grunted. Thinking over the conversation before her, she froze. "Wait, what? How did you...?" She paused, her mouth snapping shut.

"Oh please." He chuckled, pouring batter onto the sizzling pan before him. "I've known for a long time. Probably before you even did. The problem at hand, however, is the fact that your family _doesn't_ know."

_"I... It's hard to explain." She grunted, looking away._

_Ace shrugged, stretching out, his arms resting on his sides. "I'm listenin'."_

She shook her head, pushing the plate back resting her head on her arms on the table, watching the creature cook. "I'm plannin' on telling 'em."

Him chuckled and rolled his eyes, idly watching the batter cook. "Planning and doing are two very different things. Have you even bothered to plan anything out."

"No." She shrugged. "I'm a doer, not a planner."

"If your such a_ doer_, Buttercup, then tell me this." He glanced away from the stove long enough to gain eye contact. "What's stopping you?"

_"I... I'm not a girl.. At least, I don't think I am..." She paused, burying her head in her arms, muffling the rest of the answer. "I.. I'm a guy."_

"I hate change." She grunted, watching the butter run down the side of the pancake. "I don't want it to be 'the Powerpuff Girls _and_ Buttercup.' I don't like change, it sucks."

"Ahh, I see." He flipped the pancake over. "But change is important. If things don't change, you won't be happy."

"Why do you care about my happiness?" She grunted, bringing her head off the table.

_"A guy, huh?" He paused, watching the rain fall. "That's... not quite what I was expectin', honestly? It's no big, though. It's just gender."_

_"It's a lot more than that, and you know it." _

_He chuckled, tilting his head downwards. "Yeah, I know, I just didn't want ta' be rude."_

_"Why do you care about you being rude to me?"_

_"'Cause this is important." He paused. "That, and I don't want ta' get my butt kicked."_

"Because, when you're unhappy, you suck at fighting." He set the finished pancake on top of the plate in front of him. "When I finally get the strength up for a battle, I want to be fighting _the_ Powerpuff Girls, not the two Powerpuff Girl's and Buttercup." He grinned. "It's a lot more fun that way."

_"Look, this is gonna take me awhile to get used ta'." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "But... it doesn't really matter to me. Yer secret is safe with me."_

_She smiled slightly. "Uh, thanks, Ace. You ain't as bad as I thought. You're still bad, don't get me wrong, but there is something about you that's slightly okay."_

_He rolled his eyes, his voice full of sarcasm. "Gee, thanks." _

"If you don't let things change, then you'll never be truly happy. If you aren't happy, then your performance on the battlefield will falter. If your performance on the battlefield sucks, then I might someday win." His grin turned playfully sadistic (an odd mixture, Buttercup decided). "So, basically, not telling them is even more foolish then telling them. You might want to consider that in your final decision."

She sighed, sourly pulling the plate towards herself. "You know... I think I'll take the free pancakes."

"I thought you would." He glanced out the window. "The rain'll stop soon. You might want to go home and... _talk_ with your family."

She hated change, but things had to change to move foreword. It was as simple as that.

**No flames! Don't like don't read! Review!**


	3. Simple Enough

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Powerpuff Girls**

**Summary: Buttercup has a secret she's been keeping from her family. An unlikely 'ally' helps her fight her fears and embrace the truth.**

**Chapter Title: Simple Enough**

**Warnings: Transgender FtM Buttercup**

**Authors note: I've been using the female pronouns for Buttercup for a reason. It's supposed to be a symbol of how his family (and the world) saw him. I was planning on having the male pronouns start after the confession, but the first part is in Ace's point of view, and he only uses the male pronouns whenever he considers/thinks/talks about him.**

**I plan on using the male pronouns in the next (last) chapter as a symbol that the world is now aware of Buttercup's actual gender.  
**

**I'm sorry if I've offended anyone or have seemed ignorant by the way I've by the pronouns I have been using.**

**...**

Huffing irritably, Ace kicked a stone aside, a deep frown etched across his face.

Three days. Three days since Buttercup had run out during their hang out. Three days since he'd seen or heard from the superhero. Three days since he'd honesty done anything interesting.

It wasn't that he relied on the boy for fun. He could have fun on his own if he needed to. But, he had to admit, he was rather used to having the teen hanging around with him, causing havoc and helping him create small-time, mostly legal, mischief. The Powerpuff sure knew how to have fun, that was for sure, and his adventurous spirit and popularity had helped show him a whole other side to Townsville.

As much as he hated to admit it, this was probably partially his fault. Buttercup knew every crack and crevice in Townsville, thanks to him, and he had no doubt he was hanging out in one of those select places. And, as much as he wanted to intervene, he held himself back. Buttercup needed to find the answers on his own.

Still, that didn't mean he wasn't bored. Which he was. _Very _bored_._

He sighed and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. Bored or not, standing around in some alley wasn't doing him any good. He was far to old to sit around pouting like a toddler. At least, in public, that is.

There was a flash of red and blue, and he was slammed against the wall. Wincing at the feeling of his back being pressed into hard brick, he raised a calm eyebrow. Blossom glared.

"Where's Buttercup?"

He shrugged, ignoring the feeling of his clenched muscles popping. Buttercup at least attempted to hold back his strength, at least enough to make sure he didn't break any bones, but his sisters didn't bother with the same pleasantries. Perhaps it was their attempt at intimidation, but it didn't really scare him like they probably hoped it did. "No clue."

"Uh, Blossom?" Bubbles tugged on her sleeve. "You might want to let up a bit. You might break something."

Blossom didn't answer, but her grip loosened a bit. "She's your friend. You always know where Buttercup is."

"Hey, It's not like I have Buttercup on GPS or anything." He cracked a smile. "I was about to go looking for him- er, her myself."

Bubbles cocked her head to the side, having obviously misheard. "Himer?"

Desperate for an excuse, his eyes darted about the ally as he nodded. "Uh, yeah. It's a... a nickname! I've been calling him- _himer_ that for awhile now." Blossom raised a skeptical eyebrow. He chuckled nervously. "Heh."

"...That's a really weird nickname." The leader mused suspiciously.

"Yeah, but when have we ever been normal, right?" He caught a flash of green out of the corner of his eye and smirked. _'Bout time, Buttercup._

He cocked his head to the side, arms crossed against his chest. "Nickname? What nickname?" Ace gestured to the girl floating eye-level with him with his hands. "And since when did you guys start hanging out with Ace?"

"Buttercup!" The two girls tackled the green puff to the ground in a hug. He fell hard onto his backside, but allowed the gesture as Ace pushed himself away from the rock wall and brushed the dirt away.

"Missed you guys too... can't... breathe..." He wheezed pitifully. The two girls immediately let go and helped him to his feet. "Sorry I haven't been home lately. I was... I needed to work the courage up. I, uh, I got something I need to tell you guys. You two and the Professor."

Ace brightened and grinned. "About time!"

He grabbed his arm with a nervous smirk. "And since you're so interested in me tellin' them, you get to come with."

Ace groaned, but dutifully allowed himself to be dragged down the alleyway, the other two puffs following along behind them. "You just want me around to make sure you don't chicken out." He accused.

"Guilty as charged. That, and I need someone's hand to hold. You know, like in the corny drama movies."

"If you break my hand, I swear... You'll be payin' for my medical bills!"

"You know you're a masochist when the only threat you can make to-"

"Don't finish that sentence." He grunted. Buttercup chuckled sardonically.

Well, he wasn't going to be bored anytime soon.

* * *

"So, uh, that's it." Buttercup didn't look up. He squeezed Ace's hand tighter, eyes fixed on his shoes. He chuckled anxiously. "You, uh, can probably find more stuff on the internet. You know, to fill in the holes and stuff..."

"Oh, Buttercup..." Blossom breathed. "H-How long?"

"It doesn't quite work like that." She mumbled. "...I figured it out awhile ago. I told Ace a year or two ago."

She raised an eyebrow at the green man. "Himer?"

"Eh." He shrugged. "What can I say? I suck at lying about stuff like that."

Buttercup chuckled. "Yeah, Ace's used to using the right pronouns, so..."

Bubbles burst foreword, and, in one great motion, she leapt onto his lap and hugged him tight, curling her head into his shoulder. "Buttercup..."

"Uh, hey?" He awkwardly patted his hands on her back, glancing back and forth from Ace and the bob of blonde hair. Ace smiled wide, smug in the knowledge he'd get a good 'I told you so' in later. He nudged his side irritably, but otherwise couldn't move with the teen curled around his neck like a vice.

She pulled back, resting her hands on his shoulders. "You should of told us."

"I know." He finally looked up. Green met red over Bubble's hair. "You guys aren't, I don't know... disgusted? By this? By me?"

"Disgusted?" She tilted her head to the side in thought before shaking it back and forth. "Nope. I'm confused, but I'm not disgusted. This is... This is gonna take some getting used to..."

"I'm good with that." He smiled wide.

The Professor hmmed, a hand going to his chin in thought. "While I don't really understand it quite yet, I'll look into it further... I might be able to change your gender, given enough time." He jogged towards the lab, calling over his shoulder. "If not, we have plenty of money, so... if you should feel the need..."

He blinked, watching the man disappear down the stairwell. "Did I just become the Professors newest project?"

Blossom shrugged. "I do believe so."

Bubbles giggled. "I think it's his way of coping. He'll let up once he figures it out."

"I sure hope so." He grumbled, the twitch of a smile finally overcoming his face.

"Uh, Buttercup?" Bubbles glanced down to avoid his gaze. "... I can still call you Buttercup, right?"

"Huh?" His head tilted to the side in confusion. "Whattya mean?"

"Well... Buttercup's not really a guys name..."

"Oh, that." He shrugged. "I like my name. It's my name, my birth name. So what if it's a little girly? I'm not planning on changing it."

"Okay!" She cheered, slipping off his lap to plop onto the empty seat next to him.

Ace smirked. "Told ya it would work out."

"Oh, shut up." He punched the older man's shoulder. Hard.

He punched him back, harder. "You should know by now that I'm always right."

Buttercup pounced, bowling the green man over to roughhouse. In the back of his mind he vaguely heard the chuckling of his siblings.

Perhaps it was simpler than he had thought. Not very simple, but simple enough.

**(Repeat) Authors note: I've been using the female pronouns for Buttercup for a reason. It's supposed to be a symbol of how his family (and the world) saw him. I was planning on having the male pronouns start after the confession, but the first part is in Ace's point of view, and he only uses the male pronouns whenever he considers/thinks/talks about him.**

**I plan on using the male pronouns in the next (last) chapter as a symbol that the world is now aware of Buttercup's actual gender.  
**

**I'm sorry if I've offended anyone or have seemed ignorant by the way I've by the pronouns I have been using.**

**No flames! Don't like don't read! Review!**


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